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hardcrab
05-22-2006, 08:26 PM
I may be answering my own question, but .............

the R&R on my '66 18' 2+3 continues;
just curious ......... if there are any thoughts regarding attention given to the thin wooden strip glassed around the inside of the hull ?
other than filling the holes with tiger hair and adding another layer of mat/tape (to the inner surface ONLY of course) , is there a hot idea out there?
I'm VERY sure I'm over thinking this ................ :smash:

gcarter
05-22-2006, 08:51 PM
Take a look at the bottom of page two of this thread. I think it's a much more permanent solution to the problem than anything else I have seen tried short of glassing the deck onto the hull.
The really neat thing is I can still remove the screws any time I choose. I did this on both the deck joint and the rub rail. I ended up with about 100 1/4-20 flat head machine screws in the deck joint and 100 10-24 oval head machine screws in the rub rail. They were all installed w/ blue screw locker, so all it takes is a battery operated drill to remove them. I did through bolt w/lock nuts in the transom area because the 'glass was so thick and hard I couldn't install the T-nuts.

http://www.donzi.net/forums/showthread.php?t=36703&pp=15

hardcrab
05-22-2006, 09:15 PM
George,
thanks for the good reply ......... my intention is not to glass the the deck to the hull , just revamp existing / original design.
the deck IS off, I'm flexible to the method.

David Ochs
05-22-2006, 10:32 PM
Hardcrab,

I realize that this may be more than you're willing to tackle at this moment, but here is what I ended up doing with the flimzy shoebox joint.
http://www.donzi.net/hull/562/donzi3.jpg
I stripped the old backing material and laminated (2) 3/16"x1" oak strips using epoxy. Then covered it with 4" cloth. The joint is held together with #10 stainless machine screws. For each screw through the rubrail, there are two more hidden underneath. The only areas where the lid is glassed to the hull are the original locations, the ski tray, under the floor hatch, and under the battery box.
Good luck

gcarter
05-23-2006, 08:00 AM
Jamie, I just used RTV, all it's doing is keeping the water out. I feel 200 SST machine screws through bolted makes a plenty strong joint.

David Ochs
05-23-2006, 08:53 AM
I agree with George. After the lid is set back on the hull, a thin bead of sealant along the joint is critical to keeping water out. My advice would be to use something that will allow removal in the future. I used a Sikaflex product, but it's been so long, the exact stuff escapes me.

hardcrab
05-23-2006, 03:53 PM
Thanks everybody....
this is the type of forum I was looking for.
Dave O. , I knew your method was what I was going to end up doing , and Sikaflex is good stuff.
I'm glad I asked , now I won't feel anal putting in the effort :checkered

maddad
05-24-2006, 05:53 AM
This has me thinking. I put my 18 back together the same way it came apart. Has anyone ever seen the factory shoebox joint fail? I don't mean from hitting a dock or anything, just normal rough water hammering.

gcarter
05-24-2006, 06:16 AM
This has me thinking. I put my 18 back together the same way it came apart. Has anyone ever seen the factory shoebox joint fail? I don't mean from hitting a dock or anything, just normal rough water hammering.
I've seen examples where they were constantly coming loose. In fact my Minx originally had rub rail screw holes that were wallowed out to the point to where they weren't holding. They were in groups of five or six several places around the joint. In fact the Phillips recesses in the screw heads were worn out from re-tightening. That'a the reason I went to through bolting. It was the only way I could think of to eliminate the problem
I doubt if Donzi ever intended for these boats to still be in service 20 to 40 years later. Otherwise they would have had a different way to assemble the joint.

maddad
05-24-2006, 06:22 AM
Damm, now I have to add constantly checking rub rail screws to my list of things to do.